Polystachya

Finding

SITF confirms that this plant is Polystachya adansoniae (Dec 2024). This plant fits the picture and general description in "The Orchids of South Central Africa". It is not P. erythrocephala because of the unequally bilobed leaves and not P. stuhlmannii because that species has hairs on the outside of the sepals. These sepals are glabrous. It matches the key and Photo in Stewart's 1996, "Orchids of Kenya ('flowers pale green, lip edged purple); matches photos, descriptions and illustrations in Williamson's 1977, "Orchids of South Central Africa", in Balhema's 1983, "Orchids of Nigeria" and in LaCroix's 1991, "Orchids of Malawi" and in Pridgeon's 1992 "Encyclopedia of Orchids".

Overall Length Of Growth Cane: 13

Number Of Leaves Per Growth Or Cane: 3

Leaf Length: 8.7

Leaf Width: 1.1

Leaf Margin: entire

Leaf Shape: lorate

Pseudobulb Length: 4.2

Pseudobulb Width: 2.2

Pseudobulb Margin: oblong

Pseudobulb Distance: n/a

Pseudobulb Root Tip: Purple

Inflorescence Overall Length: 9.5

Inflorescence Arrangement: terminal, upright, unbranched

Inflorescence Dist Base To Bud: 6.9

Inflorescence Dist Bet Flowers: 0.3

Inflorescence Dist To Sepal: 0.2

Floral Bracts Length: 3.9

Floral Bracts Width: 0.8

Ovary Length: 0.15

Ovary Width: 0.1

Ovary Shape: cylindrical

Ovary Color: green

Flower Natural Spread Length: 0.4

Flower Natural Spread Width: 0.5

Dorsal Sepal Length: 0.2

Dorsal Sepal Width: 0.1

Dorsal Sepal Cauda Length: n/a

Dorsal Sepal Cauda Width: n/a

Lateral Sepals Length: 0.4

Lateral Sepals Width: 0.2

Lateral Sepals Caudae Length: n/a

Lateral Sepals Caudae Width: n/a

Petals Length: n/a

Petals Width: 0.05

Judging Center: Montréal

Award Number: 20246939

Award Date: August 17, 2024

Awarded As: CBR

Seventy four flowers and 11 buds on three upright inflorescences emerging on the newest growths on a 12-cm wide by 4-cm deep by 17-cm tall plant grown on a 7-cm wide by 16-cm tall cork slab covered with moss; leaves lorate up to 1.1 cm wide by 8.7 cm long; pseudobulb oblong 4.2 cm tall, 0.8-cm diameter; flower light cream; lateral sepals joined to form mentum, purple picottee; lip trilobed, ciliate, light green; column and anther cap dark purple; substance firm; texture crystalline, lip velvety; awarded for rarity in cultivation and interesting flower; pending SITF identification.

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